December Wildfire In Ashland

It may be December, but there was a wildfire in Ashland this morning. Abnormally high winds are being blamed.

Posted: Dec. 14, 2018 5:11 PM

Updated: Dec. 15, 2018 11:17 AM

Posted By: Mike Duffy

ASHLAND, Ore. -- It may be December, but there was a wildfire in Ashland this morning. Abnormally high winds are being blamed.

Firefighters had been burning brush piles over the past few days on upper Tollman Creek Road. Despite cool temperatures and wet conditions, the dramatic shift in wind caused the fire to get out of control. The wind fanned embers from the brush piles and pushed the fire uphill towards a home.

Rita Donovan Roth and her husband were alerted by their automatic doorbell.

"It doesn't come on unless someone is at the door," explained Donovan Roth. "But the doorbell rang, so my husband opened the door...and there he saw the fire, right there."

Donovan Roth said she knows God was helping them out. Still, the experience left her shaken.

"It was horrible," exclaimed Donovan Roth. "I just think of the Camp Fire victims and what they go through. This could have been us. It really could have been us."

Firefighters were already on scene monitoring the piles when it spread, but they were quickly joined by crews from Fire District 5, Ashland Fire and Rescue and the Oregon Department of Forestry.

The crews say it just goes to show fire season can happen year round if the conditions are right.